Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
School... is effin' killin' me :groans: I'm so sorry that this chap took forever to be put up, but damn, Junior year is the hardest and I've already had about eighteen essays :glares at my teachers:
I'm gonna try to update sooner next time, promise! And I cut out Othello's past because, really... there's already so much stuff going on with OC's, so I'm gonna refrain from adding more, unless you guys really want me to.
Also, check out my new fic Amaterasu, which'll now be updating monthly :grin: Reviews would be appreciated!
Sorry if there's a lot of errors, I didn't have time to go over it.
Sakura looked up from her task of filing her nails, blowing on them softly as everyone else in the room settled down in the living room. It was quiet, except for the occasional annoyed groans from Naruto's side of the room and the whispers between Majik and Silo, the two boys snickering to each other beside the couch. Hidan was leaning against the wall right next to the kitchen, looking a bit more serious than usual. The pink-haired woman had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and deeply regretted it, definitely not wanting to go through a "meeting" with Itachi. She'd heard from Hidan once that Akatsuki meetings tended to be violent and vulgar.
Itachi came in a moment later, disrupting her thoughts and causing her to fumble with her nail file. The man looked a bit darker than usual, his eyes holding a bitterness that was hardly ever there. She immediately stood up and excused herself, somewhat knowing that she wasn't meant to hear any of this. She apologized to Naruto quickly for not staying and hurried out of the home.
Naruto watched her leave, then focused his attention on Itachi, the older Uchiha standing before them in his Akatsuki cloak, his lips in a thin line and eyes almost burning red. It unerved the blond, so much so that he fidgeted where he sat and almost resorted to biting his bottom lip. And the fact that Hidan looked dead serious wasn't helping much either.
"What's wrong?" Sasuke asked first, breaking the silence as he shifted on the couch beside Naruto. He seemed as nervous as his boyfriend.
Itachi glanced at his brother, but then ran his eyes over the three children, as well. His eyes lingered on Majik, causing the teenager to feel as if his thoughts were being read, but an unknown warmth flooded through him and he saw a flash of worry in his step-brother's eyes; his father's eyes...
When Itachi finally spoke, his voice was still the same, softened with age, yet still strong and deep.
"The Akatsuki leader was murdered by one of Orochimaru's men earlier this morning," he stated calmly. "And I have been assigned to take his place."
Sasuke's eyes widened a bit and next to Majik and Haruka, Silo stiffened at the name of the snake.
Hidan spoke next. "Weasel-san was supposed to already be the leader, but he resigned from the offer. Now, he doesn't really have a choice. If he doesn't become leader, then there's a good chance that the Akatsuki will be taken down before another is assigned."
"Aniki," Sasuke began. "That means you have to go back to Japan now?"
"We all have to go back. If I have to go, so do you and Naruto-kun, for your safety," Itachi explained, spotting the annoyed look on Naruto's face.
The blond crossed his arms and crinkled his nose. "You mean, right after I get a steady job, I have to move back? And I'm definitely not going to take Silo out of school--"
"Dad, I'll be fine. It's for our safety... so we should go," the crow spoke softly. "I can always go to another school in Tokyo, it's not like I'll have trouble learning the language."
"But--"
"If you remain here, Orochimaru will kill you," Itachi words sliced through both Uzumaki's and Silo looked down at his lap. "He's getting bolder with his tactics and will murder you. The slaughtering of my leader is proof enough."
"So pack everything and say good-bye to your friends, we're heading out tomorrow," Hidan pushed himself away from the wall and grinned, a bit less serious now, though his face was still a little stiff. "The quicker we get there, the sooner we can find you a place where he won't find you. And Silo, you'll be going to the same school as Haruka. The same goes for you, Majik. The security there is tight and both Weasel-san and I trust them to keep you safe during the day."
Majik blinked, then smiled widely, as if the whole 'Orochimaru's gonna kill you' thing didn't happen. "I get to go to a private school?.!"
And while the Nazi-loving teen babbled on, Haruka noticed the lack of Silo's participation in the topic and glanced over, seeing a slight blur of his friend. He reached a hand out and touched the top of the boy's head, feeling the jerking of Silo's body at the sudden contact. He smiled to himself and ran his palm down the black hair in a comforting gesture that his father always did to him.
Silo stared into those crimson eyes and felt the nervousness of going back to Japan just disappear. The thoughts of seeing Kabuto outside of his home left his mind and he smiled, his cheeks tinted a light pink as his friend's fingers left the base of his neck. Every time he felt down or nervous, Haruka had always been there to comfort him; When he'd run away from home in a storm of anger and sadness, when he'd thought Sasuke had died, and when he'd shared his secret of Melee... Haruka had been there, holding him tightly.
His eye contact with the other male was cut off when Majik's face popped up between them.
"Come on, Little Miss, Haru-ru, we have to pack for tomorrow!"
"A-ah, right," Silo stood slowly and kept himself from looking at Haruka, his blush still not leaving.
xXxXx
It was around ten at night when Silo finally finished all of his homework and packing, and had settled down on the sofa, grabbing the remote from the coffee table. He yawned and stretched out on the long couch, propping his feet up on one of the stiff arms. On the floor next to him, Majik slept, his mouth hanging open as he mumbled something about girls in his sleep. Silo's bright blue eyes roamed over the words on the television guide, looking for something to watch.
"I guess I'll have to settle for the news," but he wasn't complaining. He was actually quite fond of the news channel, watching it every once in a while to catch up on what was going on in the world. But since Sasuke had arrived, he hadn't really had the chance to, so he decided now would be the best time.
Though when he changed the channel, the first image he saw was of Orochimaru. His heart began hammering in his chest and his fingers tightened around the remote, almost cracking the plastic covering. His eyes were glued to the screen.
"--named Orochimaru, the owner of a profitable Japanese film industry, has just made millions with a brand new movie that came out last weekend. It's amazing how someone from another country can be just as rich as someone here in America, but they're never shown on television. Now, there's a film that just came out Friday called--"
Silo drowned the rest of the man's words out, his pupils consuming his eyes in the darkness of the room. His body shook and his lips were tightly pursed together, his heart even louder in his chest, causing him to be in physical pain. But he ignored it, completely numb to everything except for the frightening thoughts in his head.
"Th-they don't know anything about who he really is..." he whispered to himself, his voice quivering. "To them, he only makes movies... they d-don't know he kills people..."
Flashes of the night where Sasuke had collapsed in front of him, blood splattering on his face, came to the teen's mind. He could practically feel the warm liquid trickle down his cheeks and let the remote fall from his grasp, onto the cushion. Gunshots were ringing in his ears and the sound of Naruto yelling to him echoed in the back of his mind.
Standing up, he stumbled and glanced back at his room, the door closed and light on, since Haruka was trying to go over his homework which had been put into brail. Still shaking, he rushed to the front door and opened it, stepping out into the dark night, the sound of the dog in the yard down the street the only noise in the silence of the evening.
He thought back on what Shizune had told him to do in order to block everything out...
And he did just that.
xXxXx
Haruka lifted his head and turned toward the almost closed bedroom door, his hand slipping away from the bumps on his book. He felt suddenly very alone, the presence of Silo gone from the home and the only thing left being the light snores of a few occupants. Othello hadn't stayed the night again, since he had a big test to study for. Standing up from the desk, he felt his hand out and ran his fingers along the wall, following it out into the hallway where he heard Majik's distinct snoring from the living room floor.
"Majik," he whispered softly. The other teen only snorted and licked his lips unconsciously. "Majik, wake up," he felt around for the cusions of the couch, then bent down, placing a hand on his friend's stomach.
The Norwegian's eyes slowly opened and he woke up without yelling for the first time, as if he'd memorized Haruka's touch. "Mmm, Haru-ru?"
"Where's Silo?"
"Nyughh? I dunno. Wasn't he with ya doin' homework?" he groggily asked, wiping at his eyes. "Why?"
"No reason," Haruka didn't want to worry Majik, he knew how much the boy cared about Silo. "I didn't know where he was, but I heard him upstairs. Go back to sleep," he then stood up, listening as Majik mumbled and then fell back asleep almost immediately. Stepping over to the front door, he pulled on one of Naruto's coats and didn't bother with the shoes, opening the door quietly and stepping out.
As he walked out into the grass, his worry for Silo grew while his thoughts on his own safety dimmed. He wasn't used to the new environment and he could very well end up dead while searching for Silo, but he'd risk it all for the crow.
xXxXx
Naruto sighed for the tenth time that night, his head propped up on the desk by a few folders and a book Hinata had let him borrow about a week ago. He'd been called into work around six and had been sitting at his desk doing work for the past four hours or so, bored to death. Fiddling with the buttons of his cellphone, he thought about whether or not he should call Sasuke. The raven was surely asleep in their bed and he didn't want to wake up, but he was just sooooo bored!
"To call or not to call, that is thy questions," he mumbled to himself, scrolling through the contacts on his mobile phone. His thumbed grazed over the call button once it reached Sasuke's name and he bit his lip. This was the only thing he hated about being in a long-term relationship, having to be extremely careful with every little step, so that he wouldn't anger his boyfriend. Though the Uchiha was a grouch most of the time anyway... "Hmm, then it's settled!" he lifted his head and grinned brightly, ink from the newspaper his cheek was resting on imprinted on his face.
Pressing the call button and placing the phone to his ear, he leaned back in his chair and lifted his feet onto the desk, crossing them. When he glanced at the small mirror he had placed in his office, he noticed the ink on his face and rubbed it away with his palm, frowning. The phone kept ringing until Sasuke finally picked up with a grunt.
"Hey babe, ya touching yourself?" Naruto snickered to himself.
On the other end, Sasuke scowled and rolled over in bed, absently scratching at his hip and pressing his cheek further into the soft pillows.
"You wish, dobe. I was trying to sleep," he growled, but then snorted in amusement. "Why are you calling me? Don't you have work to do?"
Naruto smiled to himself and glanced out his office window, watching the cars drive by on the streets, a few teenagers walking down the sidewalk toward the movie theater. "I was taking a break and decided to call you because I miss you," he purred. He could practically see Sasuke roll his eyes on the other end of the line and he broke out into fits of laughter, which caused the raven to give his own amused laugh.
"You're an idiot," Sasuke chuckled and rolled back over on the silky sheets, his eyes focused on the ceiling fan that spun around too slowly for his liking.
"But you love me," Naruto grinned once again. He didxn't know why, but there was something about talking with Sasuke that made him extremely happy and calm. Even when he was with Sunako, he didn't feel as comforted and free. And even though he and his boyfriend weren't really having an in depth conversation, it felt great, as if all of his past pain and trauma were being lifted from his shoulders and heart.
Sasuke smiled too, just a simple twist of his lips. "As much as I'm embarrassed to admit it, yes, I do..." there was the sound of a door opening and Itachi's smooth voice could be heard, followed by Hidan's constant cursing in the background.
Naruto raised a brow and pressed the phone closer to his ear, so he could hear what they were saying. He couldn't catch what Itachi was saying, but he could definitely hear Hidan as the man seemed to get closer to the phone.
"...went downstairs,,, not fuckin' there... Majik's asleep... the floor! Orochimaru... find Silo and Haruka!" it was like the phone was breaking up, but Hidan was just being drowned out by Sasuke's rustling on the bed and the thumping of his feet on the floor, followed by the bedroom door slamming.
Naruto didn't even wait for Sasuke to say anything before he shut the phone off and shot up from his seat, knocking over the stack of papers he'd worked on. Rushing out of his office, all he could think about was why Silo had left and why Haruka was gone too. Surely if they were going out somewhere together, they would've told someone. But they had one day left to go to school before they had to return to Japan, so they should've gone to bed early...
Silo, please be ok...
xXxXx
Haruka managed to make it to the area where Silo worked, which was a far stretch. He kept blinking, his eyes feeling dry in the constant onslaught of wind, his hands firmly clutching the stop sign to his right. He could hear laughter and voices being carried by the wind, and nothing else. It was all silent except for the strings of chatter that reached his ears as he finally began to stumble forward. He heard no vehicles, absolutely nothing. But he realized that that was how Frederick was at night, especially when neighboring highschools were having football games or small festivals.
Quickly crossing the street, he was careful not to trip on the curb and he reached out to touch the railing of the icecream shop Silo worked at. The voices were closer now and he walked forward, almost tripping over the second curb that was close to the grocery store. He held his arm out and touched the brick wall with his calloused fingertips and he came to a stop when he heard moans and hushed laughter in a thin allyway just beyond the liquor shop that was next to the store.
Stepping in front of it, he came to a halt, his fingertips in front of him, but not touching a wall. His eyes could see nothing, but if he could, then he would've seen Silo with a group of men, his pants down around his ankles as a tattooed man held his wrists above his head and another thrust into him, earning a few grateful moans and whimpers.
Crystal blue eyes turned toward him, but there was no regret on that face, only pleasure. It was only Melee.
One of the men who were watching the show looked at Haruka and smirked, deciding to approach him. The silver-haired teenager could hear the sound of his sneakers on the pavement, the tips of his feet kicking up stones and broken beer bottles left behind. The scent of alcohol was strong and as he continued to hear Silo's wanton moans, he clenched his right fist and snarled, anger suddenly rushing through him like fire. His knuckled connected with the man's collarbone and a sickening crack was heard, startling everyone in the allyway. The guys who were holding Silo immediately went to their friend to help him, while the one who was having sex with the crow stopped his movements and slipped out of the warm body.
"I'll be right back," he smirked to Silo and joined his buddies.
Haruka could hear them all approach and he didn't care how many there were, he was going to get Silo back to normal and take him home.
"Who the fuck do ya think ya are?" one of them sneered. "Punchin' him like that, I'm gonna beat the shit outta ya! What? Do ya know the little slut, huh?"
The teen's anger swelled even more and he felt hatred rising to his throat like bile. His thoughts swirled around those words, around the image of the innocent Silo who didn't want to be that way, who was forced to be that way against his will. The crow didn't deserve any of the things that were happening to him, that had happened to him, and Haruka snapped forward, slamming his fist into one of the other guys' face, sending him to the floor with a broken nose, blood covering his skin. He heard the guy who had been getting intimate with Silo whispering to the crow, saying something about taking him out of the ally through the back entrance, and it was like he just snapped.
He shoved himself through the rest of the standing guys (who then took their injured friends and ran) and wrapped his hands around the last man's throat, shoving his thumbs into the skin. He slammed him into the brick wall and practically growled, his crimson eyes demonic in the moonlight. Beside him, Silo blinked slowly, realization dawning upon him.
"H-Haruka-kun! Stop it!"
But Haruka refused to listen, his ominous eyes staring straight into the shaking man's. He couldn't see anything, but he could feel him there, seem him through the sensation of his fingertips and he snarled.
"No one, absolutely no one, will touch him!"
"Haruka-kun!" Silo yanked on his friend's arms, trying to pull him back, but he wasn't strong enough. He felt his eyes water. "Let go!.!" he practically screamed and Haruka snapped out of it, his fingers loosening and leaving welts and bruises along the man's neck. Said gentleman stared at Haruka in fear and ran off, almost stumbling over himself.
The two stared at each other, even though Haruka could only see the outline of his friend, and Silo smiled lightly, despite his watery eyes.
"I'm sorry I couldn't control myself..." Haruka apologized quickly.
The crow shook his head. "Don't be... and I'm sorry that I can't keep a hold on Melee. How did you even find me? You could've gotten hit by a car or something!" he reached out and took Haruka's hands into his, absorbing the warmth. "You should've just left me... I would've eventually come home..."
Haruka frowned. "I'm not going to let you go out and be taken advantage of by a bunch of vulgar men. The only pig you're allowed to be around is Majik."
Silo laughed cutely and unconsciously gripped his friend's hands a bit harder. "That's mean!" he found himself moving a little closer to the silver-haired male and when he felt Haruka's breath brush against the top of his head, he looked up and blushed, his eyes trained on his handsome face. He felt his heart flutter, but he didn't know why...
"Haruka-kun..."
"Silo!" the head lights of Naruto's car lit up the ally and Silo pulled back with a huge blush covering his face, his eyes shooting down to look at his feet bashfully. "Silo, you're ok!" the blond parked and rolled up his window, stepping out to rush to his son. "What happened?.!"
Silo smiled akwardly. "I saw something and I couldn't hold back Melee..." he whispered. "But Haruka chased after me and I'm fine, Dad."
The blond sighed in relief and hugged the crow, ruffling his hair. "The others are looking for you, so let's call them and let them know you're safe. I'm sure Sasuke's worried," he glanced over at Haruka and grinned. "And thank you for being such a good friend and going after him, Haruka, even at the risk of your own life."
"Anything for him," Haruka smiled a bit.
Silo blushed as Naruto led him to the car and he continued to look down in embarrassment, Haruka following close behind.